Top dog breeder receives death threats, abuse amid SPCA prosecution

Volkerson Kennels owner Barbara Glover faces a raft of serious Animal Welfare Act charges following an SPCA raid on her puppy breeding farm near Pokeno. Photo / Supplied

A top pedigree dog breeder and her daughter who are facing nearly 80 Animal Welfare Act charges have received death threats, with trolls calling to "lynch the b*****s" or burn down their home.

There are also claims that intruders have entered the women's isolated Pokeno property in the night, interfered with their animals and blown up a fuse box to disconnect the power.

Barbara Glover, 84, and daughter Janine Wallace are understood to have reported the threats and alleged intimidating behaviour to police.

The pair declined to comment to the Herald. But friend and former police officer Grace Haden said the women were particularly fearful, given their rural property had been targeted in a violent home invasion 10 years ago.

In March 2010 Rangi Pauu and two accomplices invaded Glover's home as she and her other daughter, Ann, slept.

Janine Wallace and her mother Barbara Glover face 79 Animal Welfare Act charges in connection with a "puppy farm" near Pokeno. Photo / File

The armed robbers hog-tied the women with tape and cloth, then ransacked the house, stealing jewellery, bank cards and personal items.

The terrified victims managed to free themselves and drove to a neighbour for help.

Haden said Ann was beaten "to within an inch of her life" during the attack, while her elderly mother - who has won scores of accolades for breeding show-winning german shepherds - suffered grazes and bruising.

Glover's Volkerson Kennels "puppy farm" was raided by SPCA animal inspectors in 2018 and more than 30 dogs were taken into care.

Publicity about the SPCA prosecution had made the family renewed targets, Haden said.

After the Herald revealed this week that Glover and Wallace faced 79 charges, the pair had received a threatening phone call and email, as well as torrent of online abuse, Haden said.

"Some guy's rung and made threats to Barbara. She was really, really upset.

"People are executing them. They're saying, 'Oh these terrible people that do these things. If I meet these people I will deal to them'. Awful, awful stuff."

An Auckland dogs Facebook page contained other concerning messages about Glover and Wallace this week.

One of the dogs uplifted from the property when the SPCA visited the Pokeno puppy farm for the second time in 2018. Photo / File

"Let's hope karma really kicks in," one person wrote.

"Rescue all the animals then burn this place to the ground," another said.

A third commenter wrote: "Lynch the b*****s."

The messages appear to have now been deleted, with a new post telling members not to "name and shame" anyone or risk being banned.

"You are not to publicly name on this page or we will be shut down for defamation.

"We cannot risk Facebook closing a 15,000-member page based on mentioning one business."

A police spokeswoman confirmed police were aware of concerning social media posts.

"Police received a report in relation to comments made on social media about 4pm yesterday and have taken the appropriate action.

"Police advise anyone who may have concerns about comments or threats made on social media to report it to police."

The spokeswoman refused to comment further on the case without a privacy waiver.

Haden said there had been other incidents at the women's property, including late-night intruders, and the fuse box incident late last year.

"It almost seems to me that they're being driven off their farm."

She blamed animal "activists" who were opposed to dog breeding.

Glover and Wallace could be jailed for up three years if convicted in the landmark SPCA prosecution.

The Herald understands the case is one of the biggest prosecutions ever undertaken by the SPCA, with estimates it has already cost the not-for-profit charity up to $300,000.

The charges include reckless ill-treatment, failing to meet animals' physical, health, and behavioural needs, and failure to alleviate pain or distress of ill or injured animals.

Both women deny mistreating animals and will defend the charges at a trial next year.